Agitator for washing machines



Jam 1941- s. s. HOLLAND AGITATOR FOR WASHING MACHINES 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Nov. 9, 1936 INVENTOR ATTORN EY Jan. 7,.1941. s. 5. HOLLAND I AGITKEI'QR FOR WASHING MACHINES 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Nov. 9, 1936 INVENTOR ATTORNEY I Pu sies Jan. 7. 1941 'UNl'lED STATES PATENT OFFICE mesne assignments, to The Apex Electrical Manufacturing Company, Cleveland, Ohio, a

corporation of Ohio Application November 9, 1936, Serial No. 109,875

6 Claims.

\ This invention relates to washing machines of the dolly agitator type, and-has for its principal object to provide an agitator of this character constructed and adapted for operation whereby articles such as clothing and the likeare washed by combined beating, scrubbing and flushing actions resulting from oscillation of the agitator. Other important objects of the invention are to provide an agitator with corrugated rubbing surfaces shaped to cause the articles to rotate and simultaneously move in circular paths in substantially regular cycles and in close contact with the corrugated surface; to provide an agitator that maintains the articles in constant suspension in the washing liquid so that the light heating action imparted by the oscillation does not cause the articles to drag over the tub bottom; and to provide universal mounting for the agi- 20 tator to effect a limited swinging movement thereof for balanci of the load and distribution of the articles n all parts of the tub.

It is also an important object of the present invention to provide the agitator with its mount- 25 ing at the top and above the normal water level so that the ,bearing is not subject to wear by grinding and corrosive action of the dirt flushed from the articles being washed.

A further object of the invention is to provide a latch for retaining the agitator in functional position on its mounting support andwhlch when released permits ready removal of the agitator from the tub.

In accomplishing these and other objects of the invention, as hereinafter pointed out, I have provided improved details of structure, the preferred form of which is illustrated in the accompanying drawings, wherein:

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a washing ma chine equipped with a dolly type agitator constructed in accordance with the present invention, a part of the tub and machine being broken away to illustrate the agitator and its operating mechanism.

Fig. 2 is a detail perspective view of the upper end of the agitator mounting post and the clutch head for driving the agitator.

Fig. 3 is a vertical section through the tub and agitator particularly illustrating mounting of the agitator and its driving connections.

' Fig. 4 is a detail perspective view of the agitator as removed from the tub and viewed from beneath. V

Fig. 5 is an enlarged detail section through the as upper portion of the agitator particularly illusl designates a tub having a corrugated cylin- I drical side wall 2 and a bottom 3 having its periphery rounding into the side wall as at 4 and provided with a slightly raised central portion 5 cooperating with the rounded portion I to form an annular'depression 6 encircling the bottom of the agitator 1, later described. The corrugations 8 extend circumferentially about the wall of the tub and-are'spaced above the bottom 3 and below the rim of the tub to form a rubbin surface for the articles being washed and which cooperates with the rubbing surfaces of the agitator. The rim of the tubbends outwardly, as at it, to form a shoulder II for seating upon the upper end of an outer cylindrical casing l2. The rim of the tub after forming the shoulder is flanged inwardly to provide an annular seat l3 for mounting the rim ltof a cover l5. 1

The casing l2 extends below the tub to house the agitator operating mechanism It and to provide attachment for the legs I] whereby the tub is supported at the desired height above the floor. The operating mechanism includes a motor l8 carried below the bottom of the tub and has its armature shaft operably connected with a trans-- mission indicated by the casing l9 carried on the side of the tub casing 62, and which includes a tubular extension 2!! for rotatably mounting a wringer 2! as in conventional practice.

The transmission actuates a pitman 22 that is pivotally connected with an arm 23 01 a bell crank lever 24 oscillatably mounted on a pin 25 carried by the under frame 26 which also mounts the motor. 'Iheother arm 21 of the bell crank is pivotally connected through links 28 with anarm 29 fixed to an operating shaft 30. The shaft 30 is rotatably mounted within a tubular agitator supporting post 3| located within the axis of the tub. The post 3| has a flanged base 32 engaging the bottom of the tub and provided with a depending threaded shank 33 extending through an opening 34 formed in the tub and into a threaded socket 35 formed in a part of the frame 26. v Y

The part of the frame surrounding the socket is flattened, as at 36, to cooperate with the base flange of the postJor clampingly retaining gasket rings 31 and..8, to efiect a liquid-tight seal about the opening and to retain the post in vertical position within the axis of the tub. The post extends upwardly within the tub a suitable distance to accommodate the agitator I and has an inset bushing 39 for rotatably; mounting the upper end of the shaft 30. The lower end of the shaft 30 is rotatably mounted in a beating socket 40 formed as a part of the frame 26. The shaft 30 has its upper end projecting from the supporting post and sleeved thereover is a cap-dike ring 4| having a depending annular flange 42 closely engaging the periphery of the post. Also sleeved over the projecting end of the shaft and bearing against the cap-like ring is a gasket washer 43 of smaller diameter than the ring to, expose an annular bearing seat 44 for the agitator. Fixed to the end of the shaft above the felt washer is an agitator driving head 45 having a transversely slotted upper end 46 to provide jaws 41 adapted to engage a complementary clutch member 48 on the agitator. The head is rigidly secured to the shaft by a pin 49 extending through the head and through gliignaing openings in the shaft as best shown in g. The agitator 1 includes a body member preferablyformed of a light cast metal and of frus- 'tro-pyramidal shape, the side walls 50 of which, in the illustrated instance, are four in number and have corrugations 5| extending transversely thereof between raisedv ribs 52' forming the corneis of the frustro-pyramid. The steps or corrugations provide a succession of rubbing contacts 53 resembling the ribs of an ordinary washboard. The base edges of the body member terminate in downwardly extending flanges 54 extending in close proximity to the periphery of the raised portion of the bottom. The lower edges of the flanges are cut away, as indicated at 55, to give ample clearance and to permit universal mounting of the agitator on the annular seat 44 without striking thereof against the raised portion of the tub. I

Formed on the apex of the body preferably as an integral part thereof is a cylindrical socket or hub 56 having an inner diameter to free- 1y slide over the cap-like ring 4|, previously de'- scribed. Extending upwardly from the portion 56 is a cylindrical neck 51 of reduced diameter to provide a slightly rounded shoulder 58 for universal seating upon the shoulder of the caplike ring. The inner diameter of the neck portion passes the clutch head with ample clearance to allow slight swinging movement of the agitator relative to the axis of its support thereby permittingadjustment of the load and uniform distribution of the articles being washed about 5 the periphery of the agitator. The neck 51 terminates in a closed upper end 59 having a central opening 50 provided with diametrically opposed grooves 6| and 62 to slidably mount the complementary clutch member 48.

The clutch member 48. includes a cylindrical body portion 64 of suitable diameter to freely slide within the cylindrical opening 60, and projectin'g coextensively from opposite diametrical sides thereof are key-like wings 65 and 66 slid- 05, ably engaged in the grooves 6-l and 82. The 'body portion and wings of the clutch member are of 'suflicient length so that they project into the open upper end of the clutch head and the wings, engage in one of the grooves thereof to 70 effect driving engagement with the jaws 41. The

complementary clutch member is reciproca'ted to and from clutching engagement with the clutch head by a cap 61 having a side wall 68 encircling the upper end of the neck portion 51 of the agi- 78 tator as best shown in Fig. 5. The cap is 58*? cured to the upper end of the complementary clutch member by a screw 69 having i'tsshank extending through an opening 10 of the cap and into a threaded socket 1 I of the clutch member.

In order to frictionally support the complementary clutch member out of driving engagement with the clutch head, the closure 59 is 1 to float when wash liquidis placed in the tub and in order to retain the agitator for universal mounting on the annular shoulder 44, the hub portion is provided with a laterally extending guard 18 having a transverse opening 19. Reciproc'ably mounted in the guard and extending across the opening is a latch pin 80 having its inner end loosely engageable under the flange 42 as best shown in Fig. 5. 'I'hepin is provided with a knob 82 that is positioned in the opening 19 and secured on the pin by a knurling 83. The latch is normally urged in latching position by a coil spring 84 sleeved on the pin and having one end bearing against the knob and its other-end against the side wall 85 of the opening.

Assuming the tub and operating parts of the machine to be constructed and assembled as described, the. agitator is inserted into the tub with the socket end thereof engaging over. the upper end of the tubular post'and the shoulder seated upon the ring 4|. This is accomplished by withdrawing the latch pin so that it will pass the rim of the collar. When the agitator is in seated position the latch pin is released and the spning urges it into latching engagement with the collar. The driving parts of the machine are started in operation by energizing the motor to oscillate the agitator shaft through the pi'tman 22, bell crank 24, and crank arm 29.

-- Further assuming that a suflicient quantity of wash liquid for washing a predetermined quantity of clothes or other articles has been deposited in the tub, the agitator is started in operation by pressing against the cap 61 to move the clutch member 48 into driving engagement with the clutch head. The agitator thus drivin-g'ly engaged with the shaft will operate therewith setting up currents in the water in response to centrifugal force genera-ted by limited rotary movement of those portions of the agitator of greater radius, first in one direction and thenin the other. The greatest force of currents is set up at the bottom of the tub where the faces of the agitator are of greater width and the forces of currents gradually diminish as the corresponding widthof the faces decreases toward the top of the agitator, the currentstaking a'course ou'twardly from the agitator and along the wall of the tub to convergence, then upwardly along the wall of the tub, inwardly toward the agitator and down the wall thereof to rejoin the upward flow. Oscillation of the agitator tends to move the water circumferentially as well as radially thus causing currents to be set up on all sides of the agitator to meet tangentially and proceed together in rolling, unified flow.

After the agitator has been placed in operation the articles of clothing or fabrics to be cleaned are deposited in the wash water and cles about as they are carried along with the cur- Q rents so that diflerent portions and both faces of the fabrics are successively presented to the rubbing surfaces of the agitator for impact thereby and to flush the water through the fabrics. The currents carry the articles downwardly over the contact faces of the corrugations to distort the threads ofthe fabrics by rubbing contact, similarly to the eflfect produced by rubbing clothing or the like on an ordinary washboard.

It is apparent, therefore, that with an agitator constructed and operated according to my in? vention, I am able to secure the combined advantages of beating, rubbing and flushing by a single operation.

Due to the universal mounting of the agitator, the agitator is free to swing, to adjust itself to the load of clothes in the tub, and to effect uniform distribution of the clothes .tlrirou hout all parts of the tub. Since the clothes are kept in constant circulation the batting action of the corners of the agitator do not cause the clothes to drag over the tub bottom. I

What I claim and desire to secure by Letters.

clined rubbing surfaces, raised rib portions join-' ing side edges of'adiacent rubbing surfaces, and

parallel corrugations on the rubbing surfaces intermediate said ribs.

3.Ina.washingmachine, atub havinga cylindricalwall provided with a ribbed rubbing extending substantially parallel with surface, agitator supporting meansin the tub, and an agitator mounted for oscillatory movement on the supporting means, including a frustro-pyramidal body forming downwardly and outwardly inclined rubbing surfaces having transversely extending rib portions, and means for oscillating the agitator to effect oscillation wardly over said inclined surfaces and upwardly of the ribbed rubbing surface of the tub to carry the articles being washed in upward rubbing contact with said ribbed surface of the tub and in downwardly rubbing contact with the rib portions on the agitator. 4. An agitator including a frustro-pyramidal body providing downwardly and outwardly inclined rubbing surfaces, raised rib portions joining side edges of adjacent rubbing surfaces, guard flanges depending from the lower edges of said rubbing surfaces and connected with the raised rib portions, and raised contact portions on the rubbing portions intermediate said rib portions.

5. An agitator including a frustro-pyramidal body providing downwardly and outwardly inclined rubbing surfaces, raised rib portions joinin'gside edges of adjacent rubbing surfaces, guard flanges depending from the lower edges of said rubbing surfaces and connected with the raised rib portions, and raised contact portions on the rubbing portions intermediate. said rib portions, said guard flanges having cut out portions to provide clearance for slight swinging movement of the agitator when-it is mounted on an agitator support of a washing machine.

6. An agitator including a frustro-pyramidal body-providing downwardly and outwardly inclined aides and spaced, rounded rib portions the'base of said frustro-py'ramidal body.

SIDNEY s. HOLLAND. 

